In 2018, Tom Saltsman and his crew brought a dragon to life. In 2019, a ghost ship appeared at their home at 32 Pleasant Street. And in 2020, when we needed this the most, the King of the Jungle…KONG!

I had driven down Pleasant Street last week to run a quick errand at Crosby’s when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a huge black ape squatting in the front yard on Pleasant Street. I had to stop and gape in awe at the sheer size and incredible detail of the work. This is the fourth year in a row that the Saltsman’s have combined Tom’s architectural skills with the yeoman’s work of a crew to create an incredible spectacle for Halloween.

With the snow that fell all day Friday, I wondered how King Kong might look with a dusting of white and was not disappointed when I pulled up with my family to stare up at this huge sculpture.

On Saturday, Tom plans to bring King Kong to life with animatronics which he last used for the dragon in 2018. There is a risk that the overnight freezing temperatures might affect the mechanism but I’m hopeful that Tom’s vision will be on full display today and bring smiles and joy to all who pass. I don’t think I’m the only one who feels very thankful to all involved for bringing wonder and joy during this most difficult of years.

Tom is an architect and builder and I’ve made it a point of linking to his site with each of the last two entries. If these displays are any indication of the attention he brings to his work, I couldn’t imagine a better business card to be had – see more about Tom’s work here: http://www.saltsmanbrenzel.com/